6 Best Hydroponics Systems for Urban Gardening 

Can you grow plants without soil? Soil is not everything to a plant. That’s where soilless gardening aka hydroponics comes in.

Hydroponics systems make it possible to grow plants in a low effort way without the need to check the PH of the soil, add fertilizers or constantly look for the best soil for your garden. It allows plants to grow in a water suspension where the roots can absorb nutrients in the water freely. But how easy is it? This article looks at the six best hydroponics systems for urban gardening.

What is a Hydroponics System

A hydroponic system is a technique where you can grow plants without soil. The plants grow in a water based nutrient-rich medium that provides oxygen, moisture and required nutrients.

You can use water based solution or a growing medium such as coconut coir or vermiculite. The system works either indoors or outdoors and is a good option for people with small spaces or no gardens.

You can monitor and control the environmental conditions such as PH, nutrients and how much light the plants receive. As a result, there is faster plant growth and better yields because the roots don’t need to search for nutrients but they easily absorb from the water based medium. Some of the plants that thrive in hydroponics systems include leafy greens, watermelons, orchids and jalapenos.

What Are The 6 Basic Hydroponics Systems?

The six basic hydroponic systems include the nutrient film technology, the wick system, deep water culture, ebb and flow, the drip system and the aeroponics systems. Let’s look at each of them in detail.

1. Nutrient film technology (NFT)

In this technique, plants are suspended in a flowing nutrient solution. The water based growing medium runs down the sloppy growing tray, washes the roots goes into the reservoir and recirculates back and forth.

The roots are slightly exposed to the water but not all the time, unlike the deep water system. It works best for large scale or commercial gardening because you set the system once and it circulates the nutrients to all the plants.

The downside is that at times water can rush down the channel without properly providing the roots with adequate nourishment. In addition, any pump failure can cause plant death. On the flip side, if you pump too much water the plants can drown.

2. The wick system

Plants in a wick system are placed on a tray with the nutrient rich growing medium below them. Nutrients flow up through the wicks made of ropes or strings through capillary action into the growing medium near the roots of the plants.

This hydroponic system doesn’t need any sophisticated tools like pumps to work and can work even without electricity. Coconut coir and vermiculite are some of the best growing media for the wick system because they retain moisture and are porous which allows the wicks to transfer nutrients to plants.

The downside of this hydroponic system is that it is slow and can cause limited growth for plants that grow fast. Furthermore, the plants may be susceptible to root rot because the system is always humid.

3. Deep water culture system (DWC)

This hydroponic growing system has plant roots suspended in an oxygen-rich nutrient solution and provides all the essential requirements for plant growth. The system connects an air stone to an air pump to supply sufficient oxygen which is vital for the survival of plants.

Moreover, it is one of the most popular hydroponics techniques because it is low maintenance and is easy to install at home with improvised materials such as a bucket and air pump. You only need to replenish the water solution every 2-3 weeks depending on the type and size of your plants.

The only downside with this method is that although it is perfect for small plants it may struggle for larger plants and you will need extra effort and monitoring.

4. Ebb and flow

The ebb and flow hydroponic system works by flooding the grow bed with nutrient rich water from the reservoir using a pump with a timer. Once the timer goes off, the water flows back from the grow bed to the reservoir.

This means that the plant’s roots are not exposed to water constantly but they only draw nutrients when exposed to the water solution and get oxygen before water flows back.

Some of the plants that grow well in this system include tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. It is easy to construct this system at home but it may be more expensive than any other hydroponics systems.

The downside is that pump failure due to a power outage or any issue can cause plant death. The plants also have a risk of rot in case the grow bed does not drain properly and retain water.

5. Drip system

The drip system involves pumping the nutrient rich solution to drip slowly through a network of tubes throughout the day. It is ideal for commercial gardening and small scale as the drip system allows the pats to get a constant supply of the required nutrients at all times.

How it works is that the water drips and drains back into the reservoir and then recirculates back if the system has been set to recover excess water. This system can support larger plants such as pumpkins, melons and zucchinis and is great for commercial gardening.

The downside is the water solution can change PH or deplete the nutrients when it recirculates so it needs constant monitoring and adjustment.

6. Aeroponics systems

Aeroponics is a hydroponic system that is enclosed in cubes or towers where plants are suspended in the air and get nutrients from nutrient filled mist. The nutrient rich water solution is pumped with a nozzle from the reservoir on top of a tower and distributed to the plants in the form of mist.

Like the nutrient film technology where plants’ roots are exposed to the solution at all times, the aeroponics systems plants are continuously sprayed with the mist from the nutrient solution.

Therefore, plants grow at a fast rate and have better yields because they are constantly exposed to oxygen nutrients. Some of the plants that grow well in this system include bell peppers, lettuce, strawberries and eggplants.

The downside of this system is that it is expensive to set up and maintain. And since it depends on a pump it can be affected by power outages or any pump failures which could lead to the death of plants.

FAQs

• Which method of hydroponics is best for growing plants?

Most hydroponic growers seem to agree that the deep water culture system and the aeroponics system have a faster growth rate for plants than other hydroponics systems.

• How many hydroponic systems are there?

There are six main hydroponics growing systems. They only differ in how they deliver water, oxygen and nutrients to the roots of the plants.

• What grows the fastest in hydroponics?

Plants that grow fastest in hydroponics systems include spinach, kale, lettuce and Swiss chard. All they need is sufficient nutrients and sun exposure every day.

• What 4 things do hydroponic systems need to be successful?

For a hydroponic system to be successful, you need to choose the right growing medium, provide the right nutrients for the plants and sufficient water and clean the hydroponic system regularly.

• What is the best hydroponic system for small spaces?

The best hydroponic system for small spaces is the deep water culture system because it is affordable and easy to install and manage. You only need to regularly monitor the water and nutrients and you’re good to go.

Final Thoughts

Hydroponics is a lifesaver in revolutionizing urban gardening. If you live in apartments or have limited outdoor gardening space then hydroponics may be the solution for you. Choose one of the hydroponics systems and give it a try.

Happy gardening!

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